1. FULL-SCORE READING 

(Small Group Lesson/4 Lessons Total)

 

To appreciate the beauty of the complex system of a concerto.

 

Through the full-score reading course, the pianist students will expand their horizons and think not only of sequential but simultaneous elements, such as rhythmic density, the individual function of different orchestral parts, and horizontal continuity and support of the musical idea in each part of the assigned concertos.

 

The teacher will

 

1) Use exemplary excerpts from the camp’s assigned piano concertos and lead the students to read the corresponding full score parts while listening to selected audio tracks or demonstrative playing on the classroom’s piano. The teacher will draw the students’ attention to the entrances of instruments, parts that need support and instrumental dialogue, and where the piano is in the overall rhythmic, dynamic, and thematic shape in relation to other instruments.

 

2) Beyond helping the students understand the melodic structure and thematic development of a movement, the teacher will also help them, through reading the score, look for a balance of elements, like dynamic levels and timbres, different instrumental registers and doublings etc. 

 

3) Highlight the “tricky” parts in a movement that is important or difficult for the pianist to work with the orchestra and elaborate on these importance and difficulties by looking at the full score.

 

​

 

 2. CONDUCTING 

(Small Group Lesson/4 Lessons Total)

 

To think and act like a Maestro.

 

Through the conducting course, the pianist students will expand their horizons, think out of their soloist box, and acquire a conductor’s perspective on the concerto performance. The teacher of this course is the conductor of the orchestra. The students can use the opportunities of the course to build rapport with the conductor and get familiar with his conducting style in preparation for the orchestral rehearsal and the final performance. 

 

The teacher will

 

1) Teach some basic conducting techniques, including posture, stance, baton grip, and beat patterns, as well as the most commonly used gestures. The teacher will give instructions on how to anticipate and follow the conductor’s cues. 

 

2) Teach the lessons interactively. The lesson will be taught in a room with two grand pianos. A teaching assistant will play the orchestral accompaniment part. The teacher will ask the students to play their piano parts of the concertos and give a mimic conducting session. The students will be asked to mock conduct each other’s playing. In this way, the students can observe how the conductor coordinates different elements of the concertos and “test drive” in a conductor’s shoes. 

 

3) Highlight the “tricky” parts in a movement that is important or difficult for the pianist to work with the orchestra and the conductor and let the students know what special attention needs to be paid to go through these “tricky” parts.

​

​

​​​​

 3. PIANO LITERATURE 

(Small Group Lesson/4 Lessons Total)

 

To understand the elements of style.

 

Through the piano literature course, the students can understand the elements of the style of the classical piano concerto and acquire the necessary vocabulary and analytical framework to evaluate the concerto performances by themselves and others. 

 

The teacher will

 

1) Introduce the Viennese Classical period, including the outstanding composers of this period and their mutual influence and relationship, the musical characteristics of this period’s work, and its inherent historical, material, and musical logic. 

 

2) Elaborate on the development of the early classical piano concertos, their chamber orchestration characters, and their limits in terms of musical expression. 

 

3) Review the historical and personal backgrounds of the Camp-assigned concerto works and contextualize these works within the composer’s overall body of works. Help the students understand these concertos’ differences and similarities. (Multimedia tools such as video/ audio or playing on the piano to demonstrate the points and key information.)  

​

​​​​

​

 4. DOUBLE-PIANO CONCERTO COACHING 

(Private Lesson/2 Lessons Total/Extra Lessons May Be Arranged by Request)

 

To rehearse the rehearsals.

 

The teacher will

 

1) Play the orchestral accompaniment part on another piano for the students and help the students become used to playing the assigned concerto movement in a collaborative way

 

2) Teach the students how to actively listen and make adjustments while playing with the orchestra. Provide consultation and advice on piano technique, musical style, and artistic direction on the assigned concertos.

 

Extra lessons may be arranged upon a student’s request, depending on the teacher and the facility’s availability. The student must pay additional fees to The Concerto Camp to book the extra lessons.

 

​

 

 5. PRIVATE PIANO LESSONS 

(Private Lesson/2 Lessons Total/Extra Lessons May Be Arranged by Request)

 

To learn the master’s way in a private setting.

 

Each student will be assigned to study privately with a master teacher during the camp. The student’s preference is only for consideration. Two private lessons with the assigned teacher are guaranteed. The student can use one lesson to polish up his/her solo piece and the other lesson to work on the concerto movement. The student and the teacher have full discretion on how to use the private piano lessons and their content. 

 

The solo piece for the private lesson can be one of the pieces in the required pre-screening videos. If a student decides to use a different solo piece for the private lessons, he/she is required to submit a video recording of the solo piece by May 1, 2025, for TCC’s quality check. The student won’t be allowed to change his/her solo piece for the private lessons after May 1, 2025.  The student can use this solo piece for the student’s solo recital during the camp and, if selected, the master class.

 

Extra private lessons with the same assigned master teacher or other master teachers may be arranged upon a student’s request, depending on the teacher and the facility’s availability. The student must pay additional fees to The Concerto Camp to book the extra lessons.

 

​

 

 6. MASTER PIANO LESSONS 

(Selective Participation/Limited to 6 Students of High Caliber)

 

To learn the master’s way on a public stage.

 

Each selected student will perform his/her solo piece on the main stage of the Ehrbarsaal for one of the master teacher’s evaluations and teaching. TCC will try to assign a master teacher who offers no private lessons to the selected student to increase the student’s exposure to different teaching and artistic styles.

 

All other students of the camp are required to audit the master classes. The master classes are open to interested musicians, students, and audiences not participating in the camp. 

 

The solo piece for the master class can be one of the pieces in the required pre-screening videos and for his/her private lessons. If a student decides to use different solo pieces for the master class and the private lessons, he/she must submit video recordings of the solo pieces by May 1, 2025, for TCC’s quality check. The student won’t be allowed to change his/her solo pieces for either the master class or the private lessons after May 1, 2025.  The student can use these solo pieces for the student’s solo recital during the camp.

 

 

​

 7. ORCHESTRAL REHEARSAL 

 

To test the water.

 

Each student has a dedicated 25-minute slot with the orchestra and the conductor to run through the assigned concerto movement in the main hall of the Ehrbarsaal. The student should take full advantage of the opportunity to communicate with the orchestra about the tempi that he/she feels comfortable with, to work on the cadenza, if there is any, entrance and exit with the orchestra, and to adjust the volume of the playing according to the orchestra sound and the hall’s acoustics.

 

All students are strongly advised to audit the rehearsals, not only for their own movements, but also for the ones they won’t play. This is a very precious learning opportunity on and off the stage. The rehearsals are open to interested musicians, students, and audiences not participating in the camp. 

 

 

​

 8. CAPSTONE FORMAL PERFORMANCE 

 

To mark it real.

 

All students will be divided into three groups according to the caliber of their piano performance. Each group will present a full concert containing all 8 movements in the repertoire of study in the morning, afternoon, and evening in the main hall of the Ehrbarsaal. The students are required to dress formally for the concerts. The concerts will be professionally recorded in video with multiple cameras and in audio with professional sound engineering. Each student will receive a professional recording of their concerto performance to enrich their performance profile.

 

All students are required to attend the concerts and be the audience for each other. The concerts are open to interested musicians, students, and audiences not participating in the camp.